ENDO Messages for April, 2005: Re: Fear of the unknown

Re: Fear of the unknown - regarding ovarian cyst

From: anonymous@obgyn.net
Thu Apr 14 15:41:17 2005

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In reply to: Lucy: "Fear of the unknown - regarding ovarian cyst"

At Tue, 12 Apr 2005, Lucy wrote: >
>Wondered if anyone had anything similar to this scenario, and could
>somehow calm my fears. I was diagnosed (through laparoscopy) w/endo.
>almost 10 years ago. My only real symptom at time was infertility. It
>was determined then that it was considered stage 1 endo. not severe. no
>adhesions, just spots of the tissue (forget the medical term) on my
>ovaries and uterus. I was told the disease could progressively get
>worse over the years. Fast forward to 2005, I still haven't had any
>terrible pain due to my endo. But my ob/gyn recently found a 3 cm. cyst
>on one ovary. She put me on birth control pills to prevent any future
>cysts. She monitored the cyst through three ultrasounds over the past 6
>months. It has not grown or changed at all. It does, however, appear
>complex on the ultrasound picture. Because of my endo. history, she
>believes it to most likely be an endometrioma, or "chocolate" cyst. She
>ordered a CA-125 blood test. But I understand that this could result in
>an elevated result due to endo. or cancer. So the only real way to
>confirm her suspicion, will be do do a laparoscopy to remove it. I am
>just fearing the unknown at this point. She told me that cancerous
>cysts tend to be very aggressive, and grow quickly. So the fact that
>mine has remained the same for 6 months is a good sign. It is very
>frightening knowing that any possible ovarian cancer symptoms are pretty
>similar to those of endometriosis. Just wondered if anyone out there
>has had any experience w/the CA-125 test, and/or endometriomas, and what
>your experience has been? I am now 36, and will be relieved for all this
>to just be endometriosis related.

I have gone through the same ordeal. I had a large abdominal (17cm * 10 cm 8. 5cm) "mass" which later was found to be to two conjoined endometriomas hanging off of both of my ovaries. I also had an elevated CA 125. It was very scary because I didn't know what it could be. I didn't know if it was cancer or endo. Because I am only 19 the chances of me having a cancerous tumor or cyst are pretty low all I knew is that it was getting bigger everyday in fact I actually had a lump that was visible. The dr said it was the size of a 4 1/2 month pregnancy. Anyways it turned out to be endometriosis and not cancer so I think your doctor is right that it is probably an endometrioma because it takes quite a long time for them to grow large and if its size has been consistent it is a good indicator of a chocolate cyst. I hope everything goes well for you.

--
Dia

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